Brave Dawn fulfils 'last wish' and walks down aisle with Kevin

A terminally ill mum fulfilled her 'last wish' when she danced with her husband after renewing her wedding vows on Saturday.

Dawn Wood, 48, had wanted to renew her vows to husband Kevin on their 25th wedding anniversary in three years' time. But the family decided to hold the ceremony and party early because Dawn, of Queen's Drive, Dodworth, has been getting weaker.

Daughter Chelsea, 21, said her mum had a fantastic day. "It was amazing. It was really emotional. She cried all day and she kept saying 'why are you doing this to me', but she loved every minute. She managed to walk the last bit down the aisle. We pushed her in a wheel chair the first part but she wanted to do the last bit.

"She managed to dance with my dad too, in her chair. That was one of the most emotional parts for me. She had to go home at about 5pm to have her medication.

"When she came back in, the DJ announced it and everybody stood up and applauded her coming in. I couldn't stop crying."

The ceremony was at the Rosehill Chapel in Dodworth. The bride was fashionably late, by about an hour. "She took a bit longer than we'd thought getting ready, and then when we got there, we realised we'd got an empty oxygen tank, so had to go back again."

About 250 friends and family attended throughout the day, including the reception at Dodworth Working Men's Club. Dawn had spent the week leading up to the ceremony in hospital fighting a lung infection, and had to go back into hospital following the weekend.

"It completely wiped her out unfortunately. I suppose if we'd known she was going to be so ill we maybe shouldn't have organised it. But she didn't want to miss it, and she had an amazing day.

"There were loads of people she hadn't seen for ages. We had friends and family there from Leeds, York, and all over Barnsley."

Dawn was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago, but having beaten the disease was told three years ago she had lung cancer and had to have two thirds of a lung removed. She then developed nine brain tumours. Chelsea said the wedding was the one thing her mum asked to do with the time she has left, and was thrilled they'd been able to organise it for her.